Patient introducer alignment

Abstract

A patient introducer for use with a surgical robotic system is disclosed. In one aspect, the patient introducer may include an introducer tube extending between (i) a distal end connectable to a port and (ii) a proximal end configured to receive a surgical tool. The introducer tube may be configured to guide the surgical tool into the port. The patient introducer may also include an alignment member connected to the introducer tube and including a first shape and a first alignment marking. The alignment member may be configured to interface with a manipulator assembly of a robotic system. The manipulator assembly may include a second shape and a second alignment marking, the first shape being complementary to the second shape. The first alignment marking of the alignment member may facilitate rotational alignment of the alignment member and the manipulator assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A patient introducer, comprising:
 an introducer tube extending between (i) a distal end configured to be connected to a port and (ii) a proximal end configured to receive a surgical tool, the introducer tube having a curvature that defines a curved path and configured to introduce the surgical tool into a patient via guiding the surgical tool into the port along the curved path; 
 a body directly connected to each of the distal end and the proximal end of the introducer tube; and 
 an alignment member directly connected to the body and comprising a first shape and a first alignment marking, the alignment member configured to interface with a manipulator assembly of a robotic system, the manipulator assembly comprising a second shape and a second alignment marking, the first shape being complementary to the second shape, 
 wherein the first alignment marking of the alignment member, when aligned with the second alignment marking, facilitates rotational alignment of the alignment member and the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       2. The patient introducer of  claim 1 , wherein the manipulator assembly comprises an instrument device manipulator (IDM) connected to a distal portion of a first arm of the robotic system. 
     
     
       3. The patient introducer of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the manipulator assembly further comprises a sterile adaptor, and 
 the second alignment marking is positioned on the sterile adaptor. 
 
     
     
       4. The patient introducer of  claim 2 , wherein the alignment member comprises:
 a first curved surface complementary to a second curved surface of the IDM; and 
 an elongated protrusion complementary to an upper surface of the IDM, 
 wherein the first curved surface and the elongated protrusion are configured to restrict movement of the IDM in at least one dimension. 
 
     
     
       5. The patient introducer of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first alignment marking comprises a plurality of first alignment markers located on the alignment member, 
 the second alignment marking comprises a plurality of second alignment markers located on the IDM, 
 each of the first alignment markers is configured to be aligned with a corresponding one of the second alignment markers, and 
 the first alignment markers are arranged on the alignment member such that, in use, at least one of the first alignment markers is not obstructed from view by the IDM when viewed from one of a plurality of vantage points. 
 
     
     
       6. The patient introducer of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the first alignment marking comprises a first band located on an upper surface of the elongated protrusion of the alignment member, 
 the second alignment marking comprises a second band formed on the upper surface of the IDM, and 
 the first band has a width that is greater than a width of the second band, the width of the first band corresponding to a tolerance range for rotational alignment of the IDM with the alignment member. 
 
     
     
       7. The patient introducer of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the alignment member is further configured to interface with a sterile adaptor connected to the IDM, the sterile adaptor comprising a third alignment marking, 
 alignment of the first alignment marking of the alignment member with the third alignment marking of the sterile adaptor, in use, facilitates rotational alignment of the alignment member and the sterile adaptor. 
 
     
     
       8. The patient introducer of  claim 2 , wherein alignment of the first alignment marking of the alignment member with the second alignment marking of the IDM, in use, defines an initial position of the IDM with respect to the alignment member in six degrees of freedom. 
     
     
       9. The patient introducer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the alignment member comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag, 
 the manipulator assembly comprises an RFID reader, and 
 positioning of the alignment member and the manipulator assembly, in use, based on a RFID signal between the RFID reader and RFID tag, facilitates the rotational alignment of the alignment member with the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       10. The patient introducer of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the introducer is configured to be connected to the port via the body. 
 
     
     
       11. A method of positioning a patient introducer and a robotic arm of a surgical robotic system, the method comprising:
 aligning a patient introducer to a port, the patient introducer comprising: 
 an introducer tube extending between (i) a distal end configured to be connected to the port and (ii) a proximal end configured to receive a surgical tool, the introducer tube having a curvature that defines a curved path and configured to introduce the surgical tool into a patient via guiding the surgical tool into the port along the curve path, 
 a body directly connected to each of the distal end and the proximal end of the introducer tube, and 
 an alignment member directly connected to the body and comprising a first shape and a first alignment marking, the alignment member configured to interface with a manipulator assembly of the surgical robotic system; 
 placing the robotic arm into an alignment position, the manipulator assembly being connected to a distal portion of the robotic arm, the manipulator assembly comprising a second shape and a second alignment marking, the second shape being complementary to the first shape; and 
 rotationally aligning the manipulator assembly and the alignment member based on aligning the second alignment marking of the manipulator assembly with the first alignment marking of the alignment member. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein the alignment member comprises:
 a first surface complementary to a second surface of the manipulator assembly; and 
 an elongated protrusion complementary to an upper surface of the manipulator assembly, 
 wherein the first surface and the elongated protrusion are configured to restrict movement of the manipulator assembly in at least one dimension. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein aligning the manipulator assembly and the alignment member comprises:
 moving the manipulator assembly such that the second surface of the manipulator assembly is in contact with the first surface of the alignment member; 
 moving the manipulator assembly along the first surface of the alignment member until the upper surface of the manipulator assembly contacts the elongated protrusion; and 
 moving the manipulator assembly with respect to the alignment member until the second alignment marking on the manipulator assembly is aligned with the first alignment marking of the alignment member. 
 
     
     
       14. A patient introducer, comprising:
 an introducer tube having a curvature that defines a curved path and configured to receive a surgical tool and introduce the surgical tool into a patient via guiding the surgical tool into a port along the curved path; 
 a body directly connected to each of a distal end and a proximal end of the introducer tube and configured to be connected to the port; and 
 an alignment member directly connected to the body, the alignment member configured to interface with a manipulator assembly of a surgical robotic system and facilitate rotational alignment with the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       15. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a mounting member connectable to a patient bed, the mounting member defining a position of the patient introducer with respect to the patient bed, 
 wherein:
 the manipulator assembly comprises an electro-magnetic (EM) sensor, the EM sensor configured to sense an EM field generated by an EM generator arranged on or adjacent to the patient bed based on a positioning of the EM sensor relative to the EM generator. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein the alignment member comprises an acoustic reflector, the acoustic reflector configured to reflect acoustic waves received from an acoustic emitter in the manipulator assembly based on a positioning of the acoustic reflector relative to the acoustic emitter. 
     
     
       17. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein the alignment member comprises a magnet, the magnet configured to generate a magnetic field based on a positioning of the magnet relative to a magnetic field sensor in the manipulator assembly. 
     
     
       18. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein the alignment member comprises:
 a first surface complementary to a second surface of the manipulator assembly; 
 an elongated protrusion complementary to an upper surface of the manipulator assembly; and 
 at least one first marking positioned on the alignment member to facilitate rotational alignment with at least one second marking on the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       19. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein the alignment member comprises a surface with at least three protrusions, the at least three protrusions configured to be inserted into at least three corresponding features in the manipulator assembly. 
     
     
       20. The patient introducer of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the manipulator assembly further comprises at least three markings corresponding to distal ends of the at least three protrusions of the alignment member, and 
 wherein alignment of the at least three protrusions with the at least three features occurs when each of the protrusions of the alignment member is in contact with a corresponding marking on the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       21. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the alignment member defines a hollow cavity comprising a complementary shape to a protrusion in the manipulator assembly, and 
 rotational alignment of the alignment member with the manipulator assembly occurs when, in use, the protrusion of the manipulator assembly is fully inserted into the cavity. 
 
     
     
       22. The patient introducer of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the introducer tube is configured to be connected to the port via the body. 
 
     
     
       23. A surgical robotic system, comprising:
 a robotic arm; and 
 a manipulator assembly attached to a distal portion of the robotic arm, the manipulator assembly configured to control a surgical tool for insertion into a patient introducer, 
 wherein the manipulator assembly is configured to interface with an alignment member of the patient introducer and facilitate rotational alignment with the patient introducer, and 
 wherein the patient introducer comprises: 
 an introducer tube extending between (i) a distal end configured to be connected to a port and (ii) a proximal end configured to receive the surgical tool, the introducer tube having a curvature that defines a curved path and configured to introduce the surgical tool into a patient via guiding the surgical tool into the port along the curved path, 
 a body directly connected to each of the distal end and the proximal end of the introducer tube, and 
 an alignment member directly connected to the body and comprising a first shape and a first alignment marking, the alignment member configured to interface with the manipulator assembly, the manipulator assembly comprising a second shape and a second alignment marking, the first shape being complementary to the second shape, 
 wherein the first alignment marking of the alignment member, when aligned with the second alignment marking, facilitates rotational alignment of the alignment member and the manipulator assembly. 
 
     
     
       24. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , wherein the manipulator assembly comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, the RFID reader configured to receive an RFID signal from an RFID tag in the patient introducer based on a positioning of the RFID reader relative to the RFID tag. 
     
     
       25. The surgical robotic system of  claim 24 , wherein a peak in the strength of the RFID signal is indicative of the manipulator assembly being aligned with the patient introducer. 
     
     
       26. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , wherein the manipulator assembly comprises a laser emitter and a laser sensor, the laser sensor configured to sense laser light emitted from the laser emitter and reflected by a laser reflector in the patient introducer based on a positioning of the laser emitter relative to the laser reflector. 
     
     
       27. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , wherein the manipulator assembly comprises a laser emitter, the laser emitter configured to emit a beam of laser light onto an alignment marking on the alignment member based on a positioning of the laser emitter relative to the alignment marking. 
     
     
       28. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , wherein the manipulator assembly comprises a magnetic field sensor, the magnetic field sensor configured to sense a magnetic field generated by a magnet in the patient introducer based on a positioning of the magnetic field sensor relative to the magnet. 
     
     
       29. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 an input device configured to receive an input command to begin alignment of the manipulator assembly with the patient introducer, 
 wherein the manipulator assembly is configured to be placed into an alignment position in response to the input device receiving the input command. 
 
     
     
       30. The surgical robotic system of  claim 23 , further comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to store an alignment position of the robotic arm in response to the manipulator assembly being aligned with the patient introducer.